Economy, Business, Finance, and Labor

Oregon lawmakers are considering a measure that would give hourly employees more certainty knowing when they'll be scheduled to work. The measure would require employers to pay their employees for at least four hours if their shift is canceled or changed less than 24 hours in advance.

Drivers and professional lobbyists for the ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft are urging state lawmakers to replace what they call a "patchwork" of city regulations with uniform statewide rules for their industry. They testified in Olympia Wednesday that this would expand the availability of the smartphone-based ride-booking services.

Alaska Air Group stock hit a new all-time high in trading Wednesday after a solid earnings report and dividend increase. The parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air flew 13 percent more passengers in the final quarter of 2016 compared to the same period a year ago.